The Racial Gap in Educational Attainment in the United States

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau offers a look at racial differences in educational attainment. The study found that 93.3 percent of non-Hispanic White Americans over the age of 18 had graduated from high school. For African Americans over the age of 18, the high school graduation rate is 86.6 percent.

Some 65.8 percent of non-Hispanic White Americans over the age of 25  have at least some college experience, compared to 54.3 percent of African Americans. Well more than one third, 38.1 percent, of non-Hispanic Whites over the age of 25, have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree. For African American adults, 23.9 percent have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.

More than 14 percent of adult non-Hispanic Whites hold an advanced degree compared to 8.8 percent of adult African Americans. Some 2 percent of non-Hispanic Whites hold a doctoral degree. For adult African Americans, 1.1 percent hold a doctorate.

The data tables from Educational Attainment in the United States: 2017, may be downloaded here.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Three Black Leaders Appointed to Diversity Positions at Colleges and Universities

The three scholars appointed to admininstraive positions relating to diversity are Marsha McGriff at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, JeffriAnne Wilder at Oberlin College in Ohio, and Branden Delk at Illinois state University.

Remembering the Impact of Black Women on College Basketball

As former college basketball players, we are grateful that more eyes are watching, respecting and enjoying women’s college basketball. However, we are equally troubled by the manner in which the history of women’s basketball has been inaccurately represented during the Caitlin Clark craze.

Trinity College President Joanne Berger-Sweeney Announces Retirement

In 2014, Dr. Berger-Sweeney became the first African American and first woman president of Trinity College since its founding in 1823. Over the past decade, the college has experienced growth in enrollment and graduation rates, hired more diverse faculty, and improved campus infrastructure.

Featured Jobs